What a birthday celebration ECW had over the weekend to celebrate our tenth year. Thank you to everyone who showed up to make our Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge such a success.
For those who weren’t able to make it, our friends at C-SPAN were on hand to record festivities, and segments will begin to air in the fall. In the meantime, we have some photos to share. We hope you enjoy!
From L to R: Dan Welch, Greg Mertz, Jennifer Mackowski, Doug Crenshaw, Bert Dunkerly, Daniel T. Davis, Terry Rensel, Leon Reed, Jon Tracey, Kevin Pawlak, Dwight Hughes,Ted Savas, Chris Mackowski (kneeling), MNike Block, Sean Michael Chick, Dave Powell, Jon-Erik Gilot, Sheritta Bitikofer, Caroline Davis, and Sarah Kay Bierle. (And those are just the ECWers who were able to attend–a big shout-out and thanks to those who were there with us in spirit if not in body!)Gordon Rhea provided our keynote address, discussing the mortal wounding of Jeb Stuart at Yellow TavernWe also enjoyed an extra special appearance by Dr. Gary GallagherTed Savas kicked off the weekend–along with 84 of his closest ECW fans–for a Friday morning tour of Payne’s Farm on the Mine Run Battlefield.Ted Savas and Paul Sacra originally found the lost location of Payne’s Farm, which has since been preserved in whole by the American Battlefield Trust.We enjoyed a full house for the weekend. People were especially glad to be together in person, enjoying a shared sense of Civil War community.Dan Welch discussed the reluctant rise and inevitable fall of John Pope.Doug Crenshaw (above) and Bert Dunkerly talked about the service of “Joseph E. Johnston: Not for Rank or Fame”–although they pointed out that Johnston did, indeed, serve for both reasons.Doug talked about Johnston through his fall at Seven Pines/Fair Oaks and Bert (above) talked about Johnston’s service after his wounding.Emerging Civil War celebrates battlefield preservation with Central Virginia Battlefields Trust.Sean Chick started Saturday with a discussion of P. G. T. Beauregard.Sarah Kay Bierle discussed the fall and martyrdom of “The Gallant” John Pelham.“We’ve been meeting here at Stevenson Ridge for seven years, so I thought it was about time to talk about the guy the place is named at,” said Chris Mackowski, discussing the death of Brig. Gen. Thomas Greely Stevenson at Spotsylvania Court House.Matt Atkinson tells the tawdry tale of Earl Van Dorn (note that his hand is pointed like a gun!).Kevin Pawlak traces the fall and court-martial of Fitz John Porter (and engaged in some trash talk with Dan Welch about John Pope).Dave Powell on the death of Bishop Polk, the Confederate lieutenant general historians love to hate.Tom McMillan discussed his new book on the relationship between Winfield Scott Hancock and the fallen Lew Armistead.Dwight Hughes displayed the beautiful model of the USS Monitor, which he had commissioned to celebrate the publication of his book “Unlike Anything That Ever Floated” this spring.At the post-Symposium get-together at Strangeways Brewing, Chris Mackowski hangs out with ECW reader Ed Flanagan, who has attended every single in-person ECW symposium.On Sunday morning, historian Greg Mertz took almost 100 people on a trek into the Wilderness to discuss the wounding of James Longstreet (and his postwar “fall,” too).“Aww, that’s the end?”
And if you want to be sure you make next year’s Symposium, early-bird tickets are available now for only $200: click here!
What a birthday celebration ECW had over the weekend to celebrate our tenth year. Thank you to everyone who showed up to make our Emerging Civil War Symposium at Stevenson Ridge such a success.
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But more importantly, what a wonderful assembly, and what a broken heart I have to have missed.
Chris, all. A MARVELOUS conference. It could not have been better. Thank for you allowing me to lead that tour and for all your help. Onward.